Coagulation
by ee.hyuk
Summary: I could feel its pulsing energy, yet I couldn't summon it. And somewhere deep inside, my soul shattered. What more is there to be proud of? Tahno fic. Rated T, kinda bordering on M...


Whew! Finished this in record time. I took about two days. That's relatively fast for me. I got the inspiration from "gray skies ahead" by therentyoupay. I loved it! There is actually a quote from there in here... if you have read it, see if you can spot it :) If you haven't read it yet, I highly highly recommend it! Also, an inspiration from "senbo-sencho" on deviantart. She's amazing!

Legend of Korra and Tahno (c) Bryke

I only own Niya (unfortunately) and Penny (fortunately)

* * *

_"No… no, please," I heard myself gasp in the dreamy darkness. "Please! Take everything! Take anything! Just… just please don't take my bending!"_

_ No matter where I turned in the haunting shadows, I couldn't find my voice… I couldn't find anyone. The invisible crowd began to scream around me. A memory, a scene sparked in my brain, but quickly vanished._

_ Where are you?_

_ Where are they?_

_ What's going on?_

Where are you?

_And then everything was bright. The flare of the arena lights blinded me, and I stumbled, my arms suddenly wrenched from my sides. My knees banged onto the hard, arena floor. Electricity sparked the air, and I heard my teammates groan faintly over the sound of my own agonized cries._

_ Everything hurt._

_ Why does everything hurt?_

_ My lips were moving, but I wasn't in command of them. The words were aimed for a hulking shadow shielding the glaring light from my face._

_ "I'll give you the championship pot," I pleaded desperately as the shadow closed in. "I'll- I'll give you anything! Please..."_

_ The expressionless mask conveyed nothing and those eyes… They were blue._

_ A name slipped from my tongue._

_ His hand choked my bending passages._

_ Thud._

I felt my scream shaking through my body before I heard it. As the agony writhed and crawled into my throat, coagulation formed as a strict barrier and the shriek- the burden, the need to release my pain- bubbled and died, leaving behind only a weak sputter. My head jerked up and I forced my eyes open, focusing on my odd, ceramic surrounding.

_The bathroom._

Of course. My heavy alcohol intake came back to me in a whirl of aches and fuzzy memories of stumbling into the tub. Ah, my small tub.

My eyes swept across my cramped up legs and up to my arms, hanging out of the tub and onto the floor. My body wasn't ready to go anywhere yet.

Just stay here in this little tub, Tahno. It won't hurt. You were here all night anyway.

Someone banged on my front door.

"Tahno?" Narook shouted. "Tahno are you in there?"

The noodle-shop owner was silent for a moment. "If you are, I hope you're not dead. Be careful with alcohol, okay, buddy?"

The man's heavy steps faded as he returned downstairs to his shop. My head tipped forward at the sudden guilt that flooded me.

Narook should have kicked me out by now.

A tenant with no money to pay for rent. Or for seaweed noodles.

_I'll give you the rent someday. I'm sorry._

My toes toyed idly with the tub faucet, releasing a stream of water.

Your pants are still on, Tahno. You'll get them soaked, Tahno. Remember, Tahno? Those were the silk ones I bought you.

_Make my ex go away._

I watched as a thin film of lukewarm water sloshed underneath me, ruining the green silk of my pants.

_Green isn't my color, Niya. Stop giving me ridiculous clothing._

I allowed my head to thud against the bleached surface of my tub and loll to the side. On the glaring, white tile laid a crumpled Yuan and a cracked bottle of vodka.

Stop wasting your money on alcohol, Tahno! Look at you! Are you still my boyfriend or not?

_I'm sorry, Niya. You're right. It's too late now._

My eyes moved to the toilet, my customary, navy blue belt draped across the tank. My sad eyes fell next onto the Northern Tribe medallion, clipped proudly on the end of the sash. A shaking pale hand moved against my will and reached to snatch the medallion

This is your pride, Tahno. You're a member of the Northern Tribe. A member of our Waterbenders. I love you, son. We're all proud.

_I'm sorry, Dad. I failed you._

Look, Tahno! I carved this on the side for you! It says, "Tahno of the Northern Water Tribe". Mama said my writing was getting better, so I figured… Do you like it?

_I love it, Penny. Thank you. I miss you. Please come back. Little bro can't handle this anymore._

My fingers brushed gently over the letters, carved so many years ago. In a happier place. Everywhere was happier than here. Republic City.

You must remember, Tahno. Waterbending isn't a thing. It's a part of your soul. People talk about bending like it's something you _do._ It's who you are. You feel it in every breath… in every raindrop, in every wave... in every sip. It's like the world is more alive.

_I'm sorry, Ma. I didn't listen. _

My second hand rose from the heightening water, throwing down elegant droplets.

_This is my element._

_ And it's alive._

An intricate connection to my soul.

_Maybe it's not broken, Ma, but what else would it be if I can't feel it?_

My thumb swept over the ridged surface of my medallion, the stony waves almost mocking me.

You are worthy of this because you have mastered Waterbending, my son. I am proud.

We are proud.

I am proud.

_Am I worthy, Dad?_

I scooped through the water again, feeling the pulsing energy that was once part of me. The watery dragon slid through my trembling fingers.

_No, I'm not._

_ I'm sorry._

My dry lips brushed against the cool metal.

Because you are worthy, my son…

My teeth closed around the silver, the taste old and rustic.

I carved this on it for you, Tahno… Do you like it?

I swallowed the sacred piece.

It is a piece of your very soul, Tahno. You must remember…

The tears slid sooner than I anticipated. Thin streams of salt that ran urgently down my face, eager to join its brother pool in the tub. I allowed my body to crumple into the flooding water along with my tears.

People told me I was falling.

Get it together, Tahno. You have to get up when you fall.

This isn't the end. It's just a bruise, Tahno. Falling isn't too bad.

_Falling implies that you'll black out before the real pain hits. Drowning burns the whole way down._

And here I am; the blurry bubbles rise above my face.

One…

Two…

Three…

There's nothing left in me but the burning fire of water.

_Am I worthy, Dad?_

_ I'm sorry, Ma. I didn't listen._

_ I love it, Penny. Thank you. I miss you._

_I'm sorry, Dad. I failed you._

_You're right, Niya. It's too late now._

_ I'll give you the rent someday._

_ Someday._

Fin.

* * *

If you couldn't tell, Niya is Tahno's annoying ex; the one that was hanging on him at Narook's Noodlery in the show. Also, Penny is MINEEE. I love her. She'll be a part of my Makorra shots soon. Very very soon :) I love her character. I might write about her more in the future. And if that was hard to tell, she is Tahno's older sister.

Please review, my loves :)

EDIT: Just a quick note, my canon is that Tahno knew Tarrlok or remembered him very faintly from the tribe. I also bet the tribe spread word of Noahtok's disappearance and stuff. And that they kept pictures. I know the tribes are very close :)


End file.
